The Coming of the Superphone
Feted by consumers and reviewers, Samsung’s SIII is not just a great smartphone. It is almost a superphone. It is being called the first of a series of devices that will blow your mind away with their power. What should you be prepared for? And what does it mean for the next iPhone?
What makes a smartphone a superphone? Not a flying cape. More like, a shot of steroids. The phone then transforms into a sleek efficient monster doing more things than you imagined, faster than you imagined. And if HTC’s One X and Samsung’s latest Galaxy SIII are any indication, we’re on the verge of a “superphone” revolution — an array of pocketable devices that can literally do it all.
The SIII brings many innovative firsts to the table — apart from having (arguably) the best screen and the best specifications in the business. It syncs wirelessly with many other devices. The screen stays on as long as you look at it. Hold it up to your ear and it knows well enough to call the person you were looking at. It can play HD video in a small window while you
continue to do other tasks. Plus it has all
the usuals — voice recognition, an interactive personal assistant, great camera, full HD video and a large battery to power it all. But despite all this, does it have the thing that will out-phone the iPhone?
One More Thing
We’ll have to wait a bit for the result. Meanwhile, the next iPhone (5th generation, if anyone’s counting) expected to launch by this June, may have to buck up. The iPhone 4S wasn’t too different from
the iPhone 4. Will the new one blow everything out of the water? Will it metamorphose into a superphone? Or is it already one?
The iPhone 5 will probably not be a superphone when it comes to specs, but Apple is great at pulling in customers rather than pushing products out to consumers. Apple’s biggest strength is that it owns both the software and the hardware in the iPhone . That, and the fact that it started the app store revolution, gives Apple the pioneer’s advantage.
Even if the iPhone 5 doesn’t match up to the Galaxy SIII in a head-to-head specifications comparison (and it probably won’t), it’ll still have long queues of people waiting to buy it. And they’ll sell faster than Apple can make them.
The other devices, ones which don’t have a magic wand, will load up on power and expertise. Like the SIII, the new crop of superphones will likely have quad core processors, support all possible wireless standards, boast fantastic cameras, loads of storage space, large and pinsharp screens, top-notch materials and build quality.
Many More Features
Needless to say, computing power and storage space will keep increasing. But with it will come more leeway for developers to make computer-like applications. For instance, the upcoming ARM-based ‘Eagle’ chip for smartphones promises to do a few key things — reduce the cost of the device, increase battery life and improve the performance five times as compared with the current generation of dual-core phones. Phones with this kind of power are expected to be available in the first half of 2013.
The increased performance will enable advanced multi-tasking. For instance, the phone could power console-quality gaming on an external screen and check mail function as a Wi-Fi hotspot and make a call all at the same time. A precursor to this kind of multi-tasking can already be seen on the Samsung Galaxy S3 — it can play HD video in a small window while you continue to do other tasks.
Other expected features include advancements in screen technology (with full HD screens and/or transparent screens a distinct possibility). Many high-end smartphones can already record full HD video, but with the emerging 4k resolution (4096 x 3112 pixels) and QFHD (Quad full HD or 3840 x 2160 pixels) becoming more popular, it’s only a matter of time before superphones become capable of 4k or QFHD video recording. Finally, cameras will improve further with better lenses, larger sensors and advanced manual controls (manual exposure and shutter speed). Expect all this within the next two years.
The Specs That Really Matter
All the big talk about hardware specifications aside, these key specs should be considered before making a buying decision
Larger screens are de-rigueur, but if you have smaller hands, one-handed use can be difficult
Higher screen resolution will ultimately make everything look better, but the apps need to be updated to support that resolution
Limited memory and lack of a memory card slot could mean that you run out of storage space, especially if you’re a data hog
Processor and RAM of the device will directly impact the type of apps it can run, speed of multi-tasking and number of apps it can simultaneously run
Battery size (and battery life) can be make or break for a superphone
No comments:
Post a Comment